EOTR: VW Golf GTE

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simon_g
Posts: 500
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:22 pm

EOTR: VW Golf GTE

Post by simon_g »

Another cheap lease over, BCA chap came and took it away this morning.

Pretty much the perfect introduction to electrified motoring, and fit so well into what we needed from a car. Plug it in at home, preheat (or cool) on timer or through the app, have 15-20 miles on cheap electric (enough for most days for us), plug it back in when you get home. The kids would squabble over who gets to plug it in when we get home. Long trips it just uses petrol too, and is actually pretty efficient at it.

Perky enough on electric only, although the electric motor is good for 100bhp in a heavy car, it does the usual EV thing of feeling quick, particularly at slower speeds. Unlike some other plugin hybrids, it behaves like a proper EV in electric mode - you can use all the power available without the engine kicking in, and doesn't need the engine running to heat the cabin either.

With the electric side and the petrol engine (GTE mode) it's quick enough. Had a few trips to Wales for mountain biking and on fun roads it was OK, like a tubby GTI. Not the last word in performance but I never missed the extra that our Golf R before this had.

No issues at all with it, except for VW overfilling with oil at service and I had to suck half a litre out through the dipstick tube before it would come down to the max line.

Downsides? The boot is small (there's a petrol tank under the high boot floor) and absolutely nowhere to keep things like charge cables or the emergency tyre kit out of the way. We did a few trips away with a roofbox until we got a bigger second car. Everything else is regular Golf though, easily fitted a couple of young kids' car seats in the back. The heater is not efficient on electricity - a slow sub-zero trip into London (11 miles) will just about finish off the battery. Best to preheat and if you'll be going further than the electric range, use the engine for a bit early on to get some heat from that.

Totally recommended if your usage fits how it works and you can charge it. Brilliant for town/city driving, but no compromises on long trips either.

ImageIMG_3919.JPG by kiteless, on Flickr

Pick up our eGolf tomorrow. I never thought much of Golfs, this will be the third mk7 in a row...
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Carlos
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Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2018 10:38 am

Re: EOTR: VW Golf GTE

Post by Carlos »

What's the difference to the eGilf ?
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GG.
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:16 pm

Re: EOTR: VW Golf GTE

Post by GG. »

Carlos wrote: Thu Jan 16, 2020 4:51 pm What's the difference to the eGilf ?
One's an attractive older lady and the other one is four wheeled transportation? :D
simon_g
Posts: 500
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:22 pm

Re: EOTR: VW Golf GTE

Post by simon_g »

eGolf is a proper battery EV - no engine, no petrol (and a bigger boot!).

144 miles WLTP, so hoping for a realistic 100ish in all weathers.
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Carlos
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Re: EOTR: VW Golf GTE

Post by Carlos »

I assumed the ID3 was VWs first mass market full EV.
simon_g
Posts: 500
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:22 pm

Re: EOTR: VW Golf GTE

Post by simon_g »

ID3 is the first on a new EV-only platform.

eGolf has been for sale since 2015 (bit earlier in California), and got a bigger battery in 2017.
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